John Harbaugh didn’t want to risk Jaxson Dart and other key starters during the final games of the 2026 NFL preseason, but the head coach for the New York Giants now worries he played things too safe and created a “concern” before the regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 13.
Speaking after the Giants beat the New York Jets 26-3 in their final exhibition game on Friday, Harbaugh admitted “he decided it wasn’t worth the ‘risk’ to play Jaxson Dart and other starters, although he grants there is ‘concern’ with having rust when guys haven’t played in a while leading into Dallas. So it’s the coaches’ job to have them ready on Sept 1,” per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.
Harbaugh signposting concerns about the game-readiness of core Giants players makes sense. It’s more than a mild worry, given the length of time since Dart, in particular, saw action.
As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan noted, “The Giants main starters (including QB Jaxson Dart) will have gone from Aug. 15 to Sept. 13 without any live game reps. Twenty-nine days. It’s something coach John Harbaugh said he was weighing as a major factor. But so too was how much benefit there would be for a drive or two against the Jets backups.”
Raanan perfectly described the tricky balancing act Harbaugh faced this preseason. The Super Bowl-winning former coach of the Baltimore Ravens was in a can’t-win situation, even if the Giants might wish they’d been a little more daring with Dart’s game time.
John Harbaugh Faced Risks Either Way
Harbaugh was destined to face some criticism for keeping his best players sidelined for the bulk of preseason. Yet, it’s nothing compared to the heat he would’ve taken if Dart or another vital starter had suffered injury in a largely meaningless game.
Ultimately, erring on the side of caution likely made the most sense. Especially when it came to Dart, whose durability and reckless playing style remain valid concerns.
Those issues flared up when Dart was the subject of an injury scare against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Harbaugh was content to assign blame to somebody other than his quarterback, but Dart still called out for his attitude to taking hits.
Dart’s health is paramount for Harbaugh’s first season in charge, but he’s not the only starter crucial to the coach’s plans. Harbaugh also safeguarded other building blocks, including All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas, who’s endured his share of injury woes.
The safety-first approach allowed Harbaugh to get a longer look at Giants’ players on the bubble, ahead of the deadline for final cuts on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
Giants Gained More Information Ahead of Roster Cuts
Keeping starters wrapped in cotton wool became another kind of two-edged sword for Harbaugh. The approach helped the Giants gain valuable intel about fringe players trying to earn a roster spot.
Rookie left tackle J.C. Davis is one of those players. The sixth-round draft pick undertook heavy workloads against both the Jets and Miami Dolphins.
Davis might have put enough snaps on film to land on the depth chart. His use case was the perfect example of how to assess young talents, but Giants’ veterans also needed playing time to show a new coaching staff their worth.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton belongs in this bracket, but the eighth-year pro is still considered a cut candidate by some. Slayton could miss out to returning cult hero Odell Beckham Jr., who took advantage of the Giants’ preseason strategy to prove he still belongs on a roster.
Those are Harbaugh’s calls, and he can lean on the extended work second-, third- and fourth-tier players received to help inform the toughest roster calls.
Toughness is what Harbaugh will want his starters to show when the Cowboys visit MetLife Stadium, but the season won’t be decided in Week 1. It means the Giants don’t need to worry too much about any “rust” with Dart and Co.
John Harbaugh Admits ‘Concern’ With Giants’ Preseason Strategy